Method of making fiber container parts



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ATTPENEYS V J. M. HOTHERSALL METHOD OF MAKING FIBER CONTAINER PARTS .Filed Dec. 19, 1940 s z Q:

July 31, 1945.

INVETOR.

19, 1940 2' Sheets-Sheet 2 M ATTORNEYS y 1943- .r M HOTHERSALL METHOD OF MAKING FIBER CONTAINER PARTS Filed Dec.

Patented July 31, 19 45 UNITED STATES: PATENT OFFICE- iuarnon o'F mlgr s gr g ssn comma John M. Hothersall, Brooklyn, N. Y., asslgnor to American Can Company, New York, N. Y., a. corporation of New Jersey Application December 19, 1940, Serial No. 370,880 I I 2 Claims.

The present invention relates to a method of making drawn fiber or the like container parts and has particular reference to performing a drawing operation on a web of material and to severing the drawn portion from the web to produce a completed container vpart with a further additional step where this is desired, of assembling it with a wall of a container to form a unitary structure.

In the manufacture of certain containers, small drawn parts are sometimes required. Where these parts are to be made from fibrous material they are usually produced from a web. Heretofore any drawing operations that were required were done after a blank part was cut i'romthe web in order to prevent cracking or breaking ofthe material. This required the handling of small individual pieces which sometimes is difilcult and which may cause considerable trouble in high speed manufacturing operations.

The instant invention contemplatesovercomin this difllculty by an improved method of cutting,

forming and assembling which includes removing portions of the web as an incident to preparing remaining portions for a drawing operation, drawing a remaining portion of the web into a shaped section desired for the container part and then severing the drawn section from the web as a completed container part and as a further possible L ,ep in the method when this is desired. assembling the completed container part with a container wall to form aunitary structure. I

An object therefore of the invention is the provision of a method of making fiber container parts wherein a web of material is cut out ad- Jacent a predetermined portion preparatory to subjecting it to a drawing operation. drawing such portipn into a shaped section and then sever- I ing the shaped section iron. the web to produce a completed container part.

Another object is the provision of such a method wherein a web of "material is cut' out to produce D having a small hole liiv and a drawn plug section openings the edges of which partially outline-a container part in' the web to permit a drawing operation on such container part while it is still an integral portion of the web,- drawingf parts of the web between the outlines into a desired shape and cutting the web alongpredetermined lines of severance to complete the containerpart and to free it from the web.

Another object is the provision of a method of this character wherein the drawn completed container part after being freed from the web is immediately assembled with a container wall in a manner which obviates separate handling and which produces a unitary structure adapted for subsequent embodiment in a container.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof- Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a composite plan view of a prepared web of fiber material from which container parts are produced and assembled with other preformed container wall sections in accordance with the steps of the instant method invention. the view also showing a portion of the apparatus for carrying out the method steps of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a container part produced from the web in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken substantially along the line !--3 in Fig. i' and shows one of the container parts illustrated stantially along a line 4-4 indicated on the web shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-! in Fig. 1 and shown on an enlarged scale. A

As a preferred embodiment of the instant method invention the drawings disclose steps of producing adrawn fiber plug closure element A (Figs. 1 and 2) which may be assembled with and stapled to a fiber end member 13 constituting a wall part of the final container to produce a unitary end structure (1 which may be used. in the top of the well known fiber milk container disclosed in my United States Letters Patent Number 2,085,979,

issued July 6. 1937.

I'he closure element A preferably includes a tab opening for the container with which the-end member is subsequently assembled. Thishole is closed bythe plug section F of the closure element A when the latter is assmbled therewith, the clo sure element being hingedly secured in place by a wire staple H.

of fiber material which is preferably advanced along a predetermined path of travel adjacent a plurality of working stations in a step-by-step or intermittent manner. The drawings show aweb wide enough for three closure elements arranged in a transverse row or in other words three longitudinal rows of elements are in the web. It will be understood that this is a matter of choice, the invention being equally well of irregular openings l2, l3, I4, I! which sub-' stantially outline and set of! a plurality of closure-element blanks it. The blanks, still integral with the web. are connected to each other along their side edges by bridge portions or ties I1 and at their end edges by bridge portions or ties l8, l8. Itis at this blanking station J that the holes E are punched in the tab portions D of the outlined closure elements.

On its next advancement the web moves one step into a cutting station K and here the side bridge portions I'I are out through along lines of severance 23. This cutting operation frees the blanks i8 from each other but leaves them connected to the web by their end bridge portions l8, is. This freeing of the blanks from each other prepares them for the next operation while still retaining them integral with the web. Thus they can be more easily and expeditiously handled.

The web is then advanced another step into a drawing station L. Here the plug section F is formed in the blanks It by a drawing operation.

' The material being worked is of a fibrous nonstretching nature and the additional stock needed in the reshaped plug section is taken from adjoining areas in the blank I6. It is for this reason that the web is cut away to outline the blank and free it from the web as much as possible, as just described.

More specifically. as the plug section is being drawn into shape it will be evident that the cutthrough side bridge portions H and the end slitsll permit the material of each blank to draw in from all directions and in this way sufficient material for the plug section is obtained. This free movement of material of parts of the blank while still attached to the web prevents breaking through of the edges of the plug section and insures a smooth drawing.operation.

After the drawing operation the web is again advanced one step through an idle station M following which it moves into a separating and assembling station N. At this station the drawn closure element which has just been considered is disposed above a container end member B (Fig. 1) preferably of fiber. This end member is one in a procession of such end members which are being advanced intermittently along a straight line path of travel extending at an angle across the path of travel of the web Iii.

At station N the drawn closure element is sepaseomo arated completely from the web in by being cut along a line of severance 25, which extends across the end bridge portion is, and along a pair of angularly disposed lines of severance 2!,

adjacent the end bridge portion it. This separation of the closure element from the web com-- pletes the forming operations on the element and produces the finished container part A shown in Fig. 2.

As an incident to and immediately following the separation of the closure element A from the web Ill, the element is pushed down into proper position on the end member B. The drawn plug section F of the closure element A fits into and closes the dispensing aperture G in the end member. The description thus far refers to the closure element A in the first row in the web. In the arrangement of the closure elements in the web shown in the drawing which include three rows of elements the separation of the upper element in one outside row leaves the two other potential elements of the second and third rows still in the web.

Thus upon the next stepped advancement of the web the two remaining rows of elements move forward and this time the element of the middle row moves into a separating and assembling station 0. Simultaneously with this advancement of the web the row of end members B just mentioned is advanced one step, and the end member which has Just received its superimposed closure element A shifts out of station N into an adjacent stapling station P. The following adjacent end member in its row of members moves into the station N.

At station P the end member B and its assembled closure element A are connected together. This is brought about by a wire staple H being driven into place through the closure element tab and the end member. This produces the unitary structure 0 (Fig. 3)- hereinbefore mentioned and completes the operations on the parts associated with the first row in the web and with the first row of end members passing through the assembling station N.

At the separating and assembling station 0, the closure element in the middle row of elements in the web i0 is first separated from the web by cutting along the lines of severance 25. 28 in the same manner as just explained in connection with the first closure element. A second row of end members B extends at an angle as before. being parallel to thefirst mentioned procession of end members and one of these is now in assembly station 0 where it receives its closure element in assembled position. This completes the assembly of the middle row of closure elements and end members.

These assembled parts during subsequent operations of the machine are first advanced through an idle station and thence into a stapling station Q where the parts are secured together by a staple r! in the regular manner.

For theseparation of the last closure element which still remains in the third row of elements in the web and for assembling it with its end member taken from a third line of end members moving parallel to the remaining processions hereinbefore mentioned, the web I0 is advanced one more step to bring its closure element into a separating and assembling station R. At this station the same operations are performed as at the stations N and O as will be clearly understood. In like manner the parts are secured together by stapling after passing through suitable idle stations to advance the assembled parts beyond the remaining skeleton of the web and thence .into the stapling station.

One form vofapparatus for carrying out these method steps is disclosed in the drawings and is preferably of the character which. renders it possible to perform all operations substantially simultaneously so that the process will be continuous and progressive. Such an apparatus preferably includes die members between which the web I is advanced intermittently by any suitable means operating in time with the die members. The die members are carried on a stationary bed plate 3| (Fig. 4) and on an upper punch plate 32 which is moved toward and away from the bed plate in any suitable manner.

The cutting of the slits II in the web- III is effected by a plurality of straight edge cutters 35 which are located at the slitting station I and which are secured in and depend from a punch member 36 fastened to the bottom of th punch plate 32. These cutters 35 cooperate with cutting edges 38 formed adjacent clearance openings 39 in adie block 4| secured to the bed plate 3|. The web l0 rests on and passes over the top of the die block and is retained against upward displacement by a stripper plate 42. The stripper plate is secured to the die block and is vformed with clearance openings 43 for the cutters 35.

Thus when the punch plate 32 moves downwardly toward the bed plate 3|, the cutters move down with it and pass through the openings 43 in the stripper plate 42. As the cutters continue to descend they cut through theweb l6 and extend down into the clearance openings 39 in the die block as shown in Fig. 4.

The cutting away of the web I0 at the blanking station J to form the closure element outline openings l2, l3, l4, I is brought about by a plurality of punches 45, 46 which are secured in and depend from the punch 36. These punches cooperate with cutting edges 41 which surround clearance openings 48 formed in the die block 4|. The punches move down with the punch plate 32 and pass through suitable openings formed in the stripper plate and thence cut through the web. The scrap pieces fall to any suitable place of deposit through the clearance openings in the die block.

The holes E in the tabs D of the closure element are formed by cylindrical punches 52 which are secured in and depend from the punch'plate 36 at the blanking station J. The lower ends of these punches extend through clearance open-.

locating the web ||l after each of its stepped advancements. For this purpose the punch member 36 at cutting station K, carries 9. depending --pilot pin 56 whichmoves down with the punch plate 32. The pin extends down through a clearance opening 51 in the stripper plate 42. The

elevated position and hence when the plate moves downwardly, the pilot pin enters the newly punched-hole E in the web and continues on downwardly into a pilot pin guiding aperture 58 in the die block 4|. The pilot thus locates and holds the web in proper aligned position while the punches and cutters hereinbefore mentioned move downwardly to perform their various.

. operations.

Cutting of the side bridge portions H to free the blanks |6 preparatory to the drawing operation is efiected by a plurality of cutters 6|. These cutters are secured in and depend from the punch member 36. The 1ower ends.of the 60' web is advanced When the punch plate is in an cutters extend through suitable openings in the stripperplate and cooperate with stationary cutting edges in the die block 4| adjacent clearance recesses 62 formed therein. These cutters also are located at the cutting station K and ape adjacent the pilot pin 56.

At the drawing station L where the dra ing operation is performed the web I0 and th closure element blanks |6 retained therein are clamped down against a drawing die block 65 which is secured to the bed plate 3|. The clamping action is preferably broughtv about by a clamp plate 61. The clamp plate carries a plurality of actuating pins 68 which extend up through bearing holes 69, II formed respectively in the punch member 36 and punch plate 32. The upper ends of the pins terminate in a recess 13 and are secured in a pressure pad 14 disposed in the recess. Pressure is applied to this pad in any suitable manner in time with the operation of the punch plate.

ejecting the drawn web after the drawing operation. These knockout plungers may be actuated in any suitable manner in time with the moving punch plate 32.

At the idle station M clearance grooves 82 are provided in the drawing die block 65 to clear the newly drawn plug sections F of the potential closure elements.

Separation of the drawn potential closure element from the web l0 by cutting along the lines of severance 25, 26 hereinbefore mentioned is preferably done with a cutting punch 84 which is secured in and which depends from a punch block 85' secured to the bottom of the movable punch plate 32. There are preferably three of these punches 84, arranged diagonally across the path of travel of the web I!) and located one each at stations N, O and R.

The cutting punches 84 move down with the punch plate 32 and cooperate with the cutting die recesses 81 formed in the drawing die block 65. Above the web l0 a stripper plate 88 is provided to strip the web off the punches on the up stroke. This stripper plate is secured to the drawing die block and is formed with clearance openings 89 for the punches.

Below the drawing die block 65 and in line with each die recess 81 the bed plate 3| is formed with three guide grooves or tracks 9| along which the end members B pass. Each procession or row of end'members is thus kept in its own line as it advances, as hereinbefore mentioned. The end members are pushed through these grooves in any suitable manner in timed order and in time with the moving punch plate 32.

Hence after cutting a closure element A free of the web Ill, a cutting punch 84 continues on down and pushes the cut out closure element through its die recess 81 and deposits it on top of an end member 8 at rest in its groove 9|. The bottom of each punch is formed with a projection 93 which fits into the plug section F of the closure element and forces the plug section into the opening G of its end member, this being at the termination of the downward movement, as shown in F18. 4.

In order to insure proper seating of the closure elements on the end members an anvil 95 is provided at each station 'N, O and R and the cutting punches force .the closure elements and end members down against, these anvils. The anvils are disposed in recesses 96 formed in the bed plate 3| and are backed up by compression springs 9'! housed in recesses 98 in the bed plate. Shoulders 99 formed on the anvils retain them in their recesses against the resistance of the springs. A knockout pin I! is also provided in each anvil 95 to lift the assembled closure elements and end members from the anvils so that they may be further advanced along the grooves 9|.

Securing of the assembled closure elements and end members together with the staples H to produce the unitary structures C is preferably performed by stapling devices which are generally indicated by the numeral l05 in Fig. 1. There are three of these devices, one for each line of end members B as at stations P, Q, etc.

These devices include an anvillOG (Fig. 5) on which an assembled closure element and end member are brought to rest. A slideway I01 is formed in the frame of the device along which staples are fed into position adjacent the top of the closure element. A vertically reciprocating hammer I08 operates in the slideway l0! and drives the staple through the closure element and the end member and forces the ends of the staples against the anvil. This bends or clinches the ends of the staple inwardly and upwardly against the bottom of the end member and thus secures the two pieces in a unitary structure, as hereinbefore explained.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the steps of the process described and their order of accomplishment without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the process hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A method of making composite fiber container end members, which comprises feeding along a predetermined path of travel a web of fiber stock having spaced areas for a plurality of container end member closure elements arranged in longitudinal and transverse rows, cutting away portions of the web to partially outline and partially free the potential closure elements, drawing to cup shape portions of the web included between said cut away portions, severing the uncut portions of the web which connect the drawn container closure elements to the web to produce a plurality of completed closure elements, utilizing certain of the aforesaid cut away portions of the web for centering the latter for the cutting and drawing operations, advancing spaced processions of separate cooperating container end members each having a preformed dispensing aperture therein along paths of travel disposed at an angle to the path of travel of said web to place said apertures in successive registry with the drawn portions of the completed closure elements, and projecting each drawn portion of the closure elements of a said longitudinal row into the apertures of successive container end members of a said procession to produce a plurality of composite two-part unitary end members in readiness to be united with container bodies.

2. A method of making composite fiber container end members, which comprises feeding along a predetermined path of travel a web of fiber stock having spaced areas for a plurality of container end member closure elements arranged in longitudinal and transverse rows, cutting away portions ofthe web to partially outline and partially free the potential closure elements, drawing to cup shape portions of the web included in said potential closure elements, severing the uncut portions of the web which connect the potential closure elements to the web to produce apluralityof completed closure elements, each severing operation taking place at a severing station, there being a, station for each longitudinal row of closure elements in .the web with one station spaced apart and disposed in advance of another station, utilizing certain of the aforesaid cut away portions of the web for centering the latter for the cutting and drawing operations, advancing spaced processions of separate cooperating container end members each having a preformed dispensing aperture therein respectively through each severing station, and assembling each completed closure element with a corresponding separate container end member at a said station by projecting said drawn portion of an element into a said end member aperture to produce a composite two-part unitary end member in readiness to be united with a container body.

JOHN M. HOTHERSALL. 

